Senate committee passes bill on county commissioner term limits

A constitutional resolution to allow voters in charter counties to set term limits on county commissioners passed the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Monday.

The bill, SJR 1070, passed unanimously after an amendment was adopted to exempt sheriffs and other constitutional officers from the provisions of the bill.

Sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, the bill comes in response to a situation in Broward County, in which voters approved term limits on local officials but the vote was ruled unconstitutional.

The Florida Supreme Court in December agreed to take up the case. The bill would require Florida voters in the next general election to decide whether to allow Florida's 20 charter counties to adopt term limits.